GRT GRT Critical Thinking 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A study shows that employees who drink coffee in the morning are 20% more productive. The company concludes it should provide free coffee to boost productivity. What is the main flaw in this reasoning?
- Correlation does not imply causation (Correct answer)
- The study sample was too large
- Coffee is too expensive to provide for free
- Productivity cannot be measured accurately
Correct answer: Correlation does not imply causation
The study shows a correlation between coffee drinking and productivity, but does not prove that coffee causes the productivity increase.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes an 'ad hominem' argument?
- Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself (Correct answer)
- Using irrelevant statistics to support a claim
- Appealing to popular opinion as evidence
- Drawing a conclusion before examining the evidence
Correct answer: Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself
An ad hominem fallacy attacks the character or credibility of the person rather than addressing the substance of their argument.
Question 3: All managers at the firm have MBAs. Sarah has an MBA. What can be correctly concluded?
- Sarah may or may not be a manager at the firm (Correct answer)
- Sarah is definitely a manager at the firm
- Sarah is not a manager at the firm
- All people with MBAs are managers
Correct answer: Sarah may or may not be a manager at the firm
Having an MBA is a necessary condition for being a manager at the firm, but it is not sufficient — Sarah could have an MBA without being a manager there.
Question 4: A company argues: 'Our product has never been proven unsafe, therefore it is safe.' This statement is an example of which fallacy?
- Appeal to ignorance (Correct answer)
- Straw man
- False dichotomy
- Slippery slope
Correct answer: Appeal to ignorance
An appeal to ignorance (argumentum ad ignorantiam) incorrectly claims that lack of evidence against something proves it is true.
Question 5: Which of the following would MOST strengthen the argument that a new policy reduced workplace accidents?
- Accident rates fell in departments that adopted the policy but not in those that did not (Correct answer)
- The policy was praised by industry experts
- The company spent significant resources implementing the policy
- Workers reported feeling safer after the policy was introduced
Correct answer: Accident rates fell in departments that adopted the policy but not in those that did not
Comparing departments that adopted the policy versus those that did not provides a controlled comparison that most directly supports a causal relationship.
Question 6: A report states: 'City X has the highest number of hospitals per capita, yet its population has the worst health outcomes.' What is the most logical inference?
- Having more hospitals does not necessarily improve health outcomes on its own (Correct answer)
- Hospitals in City X must be providing poor-quality care
- The population of City X is very large
- City X should close some of its hospitals
Correct answer: Having more hospitals does not necessarily improve health outcomes on its own
The data shows that the number of hospitals alone does not guarantee good health outcomes, suggesting other factors are at play.
GRT GRT Critical Thinking 1
A study shows that employees who drink coffee in the morning are 20% more productive.
The company concludes it should provide free coffee to boost productivity.
What is the main flaw in this reasoning?